Matthew Boyd just said the Kyle Tucker truth Cubs fans can’t ignore

The Kyle Tucker saga has reached a boiling point in recent days, what with Owen Caissie immediately emerging as a key lineup contributor in the Cubs' sweep of the August 19 doubleheader against the Brewers.

It's been well-documented at this point that Tucker, who injured a finger on his right hand back on June 1, hasn't been the same since that injury. Before sustaining that injury on a failed stolen base attempt, Tucker was hitting .284/.394/.524. Since then, he’s hitting .236/.352/.368.

Given that he hasn't hit a home run in over a month and is just 8-for-54 in August, it's obviously the right move to get Tucker some rest before the final month and change of the season.

And yet, as staff ace Matthew Boyd and Craig Counsell made clear in an interview with Patrick Mooney of The Athletic, the team needs Tucker back to health in order to succeed.

Matthew Boyd defends Kyle Tucker, claims Cubs need his best form to succeed in playoffs

It's no secret that, like Tucker, the Cubs haven't been the same in recent months. After going a combined 33-18 between April and May, the team is just four games above .500 since, including a 13-13 record in June and a 9-9 record thus far in August.

Sure, the whole offense has been in the gutter in recent weeks, but it is not a coincidence that the Cubs' struggles as a team align with those of Tucker.

Boyd said as much in his interview, pointing out that the Cubs are in position to secure a playoff berth thanks to Tucker's early contributions.

“Kyle is one of the best hitters of our generation,” Boyd said. “We all go through hard times. But that’s why there’s 26 of us in there. We pick each other up. Kyle will do what he needs to do. There’s not a worry in the world about him. He picked us up, at times, in the first half of this year. Let’s not forget that. Where we are this year is because of him.”

The good news is the Cubs have Caissie, and the rookie appears ready to take advantage of his moment.

Nevertheless, the team absolutely will need the best version of Tucker if it hopes to win its first playoff game since 2017. Hopefully, this brief hiatus will give the All-Star a chance to reset before the biggest month of Cubs baseball in a half-decade.